Now that more and more people are getting vaccinated and there is finally a clear pathway out of this pandemic, we will periodically check in with different Niagara-on-the-Lake residents to see how COVID-19 has affected their lives – and what their hopes and dreams are for as things return to normal.

Bernard Lansbergen
Niagara Now/The Lake Report

Paul Devitt, who lives in Virgil, is the Canadian national officer of the Southern Cruisers Riders Club, an international motorcycle group of which he has been a member for more than 20 years.

When the pandemic broke out the activities of the club came to a screeching halt.

“Everything fell through,” says Devitt. “We like to go out and ride (but) we can’t go out together.”

It’s the social aspect of the club he misses most.

“We’re a year-round club but we can’t ride motorcycles here in January (so) we go out for dinner, we go for breakfast once a month just to get together,” but that has now been impossible because of COVID.

So these days he just goes for motorcycle rides with his wife Cecilia.

Devitt says being on a motorcycle gives him a sense of freedom. “I can’t quite describe the feeling. You’re on the open road, you’re discovering something new. It’s not the same as riding in a car. If you don’t know, it can’t be explained.”

Now that restrictions are loosening Devitt is looking forward to seeing his friends again.

“We’re so happy that COVID is now hopefully on the way out and we can get back to doing the things we love, meeting with the people we like to meet with,” he says.

They're starting with groups of 10 and will “just go out for a ride.”